Proving a psychological injury*
To prove a psychological injury you must be able to show that you suffered a quantifiable psychological injury as a result of someone else’s negligence or failure while in their duty of care.
Types of psychological injury claims
There are many types of psychological injuries and the severity of each will depend on each individual person. The most common psychological injury claim pay-outs relate to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for situations such as car accidents, accidents at work or public liability (trip and fall claims), for example.
As well as this, psychological injury claims can also centre around:
- Witnessing a particularly traumatic event
- Medical negligence – the actions or inactions of a medical practitioner
How psychological injuries are proven
It is important to gather as much evidence as possible as they are difficult claims to prove. These types of injuries are sometimes not immediately obvious and become evident shortly after the traumatic experience. It is for this reason, among others, that before considering making a mental injury claim that you have sought medical treatment and have been diagnosed with a medically recognised psychological illness/injury.
The effects of PTSD or other psychological illnesses will vary meaning that each case will be entirely unique. It is important to remember that a person has two years less one day after the date of knowledge in which they can make a claim for compensation; therefore it is strongly advised that you speak with an experienced psychological injury claims solicitor.